Monday, February 15, 2016

The Walking Marine by Matthew Homsher 9th



Summary: This week at the VA Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia, a paraplegic marine, paralyzed from the chest down, was able to walk again using an exoskeleton. Now Josh Burch will be able to stand for his promotion to corporal. Burch was injured in Guam and his seventh cervical vertebrae was fractured, in an accident he doesn’t remember. All he remembers was that he was speaking to his sergeant in a hotel room, and the next day he was outside on the ground being roused by an employee. However, he has nearly recovered his movement through the use of this new technology. The exoskeleton can only be borrowed right now for special events, but maybe it will be possible for Josh to have one of his own around the house. “I would definitely like to have a personal one of these,” he said.

Synopsis: We have certainly come a long way in less than a hundred years. The treatment for veterans today is far superior to that of the Bonus Army during Hoover’s Presidency. Although, the VA today is a far cry from what we would like to offer our Veterans, it seems to have done something right this time. Josh Burch’s new ability to walk is extraordinary, nothing short of miraculous. The only issue now is making the exoskeleton more widely available, and technology seems to be on his side.

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1 comment:

  1. Always great to hear about positive things for those who have entered the armed services, as well as the advances in modern technology.
    -Jack Higgins period 6

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